The Demon Next Door

Loved by the Demon

by Chace Verity

Mollie Bennett plans every detail of her life, but somewhere along the way, life stopped following her plans. Recently divorced and left to raise her young son alone, nothing about her forties is the way she thought it would be. And her unplanned life becomes more unpredictable when she discovers the hot, single dad next door is actually a demon.

Nuit is blunt with a bad habit of talking over people and lets his son running around without a coat in subzero temperatures. Total opposite of Mollie’s type. But maybe he has some good qualities—he uses his magic to keep her driveway free of snow, he’s devoted to learning how to be a good father, and he’s quick to help her own family when they’re in need.

When Nuit keeps showing up every time Mollie’s plans go awry, it turns out she might enjoy losing control of her life as long as she has someone she can rely on. Someone like the demon next door.
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The Demon Next Door is a 28,000 word paranormal romance novella.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Monster Romance, Novella, Fantasy, Demons

115 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2021

About the author

Chace Verity (she/they) is publishing queer as heck stories with a strong romantic focus, although queer friendships and found families are important too. Chace prefers to write fantasy but dabbles in contemporary and historical fiction as well. An American citizen & Canadian permanent resident, Chace will probably never be able to call a gallon of milk a "four-liter."

Reviews

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Low on plot, heavy on vibes (completely a compliment here because I love that) this is exactly what I needed.
Single demon dad moves in next door to a single mom and he's strange but also oddly intuitive? The kids were present just enough - that is enough to matter, but not enough to bother me lol. I'm a big fan of fluffier low-stake romance and if that's your jam this should definitely be on your radar.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Low on angst, just enough plot to tell the story, and full of good feelings fluff, The Demon Next Door is a cozy little winter time read about a single middle aged mother and single demon father who live next door to each other and whose children become best friends. I would have loved more of this with some more world building, because Questions were left dangling and never explained. But I can't fault it too much for that, because it was so stinkin' cute otherwise.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chace Verity better keep the demon romances coming! This was a thoroughly enjoyable neighbors-to-lovers romance between Mollie and her demon Nuit. I could not get enough of the the way Nuit talked! It’s a slow burn but I give it an A+ for creative use of shadows. The declarations of love really threw me off (they hadn’t so much as kissed or said they liked each other!), especially given some of Mollie’s trust issues. But that was a minor misstep.

While I normally prefer my romance be child-free, both Jackson and Ty were cute additions, especially with Ty being a fire demon. There was a missed opportunity for a Drystan cameo—I assumed he was Nuit’s contact who helped with assimilation—and that just makes me hope even more that Chace will write more in this vein.

Character notes: Mollie is a 41 year old white IT company account manager and she’s attracted to women. Her son Jackson is 6 years old. Nuit is a judgment demon with white marble-like skin, horns, and four arms. He has an adopted son named Ty who is 0 years old but appears 6. This is set in Alberta, Canada.

Content notes: divorced (ex-husband cheated), past foster care, playground bullying, on page sex, exhibitionism with Nuit’s shadows, masturbation, alcohol, marijuana, inebriation, gendered insult

[clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

single mom and a demon single dad falling in love? what else can i ask for. she is a bi boss bitch and he is the coolest, kindest, sweetest demon ever. and their kids are best friends<33
3.75⭐️

[hea booktubes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this one. I was physically smiling. Single mom meets demon who is also a single dad. And neighbors. So cute.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice read.

Honestly, Mollie kind of really got on my nerves at the start of this. She was judging Nuit as a parent a bit too much for my tastes. Like she was trying to win the #1 mom of the year. I was like…chill.

Still. I liked Nuit. I liked Ty. Ty and Jackson were sweet as besties.

The smut was nice.

Not a new favorite here but also not a bad read.

[Solly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really sweet! I love novellas, I love good romance, I love monsters/demons, and I love books with parenting/kids when it's well done so it hit a lot of good buttons for me.
The relationship and feelings did develop pretty quick but it's kind of inevitable in a romance novella. I loved the idea of the shadows though. I wished we had a tiny bit more explanations about Nuit's world/jobs/trips to his realm, but it wasn't really the focus of the story anyway. Jackson and Ty were really cute kids/side characters.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This was a cute book with a well fleshed out FMC. The MMC wasn’t quite as fleshed out, but the previous book gave more info on his probable background. He was loquacious and very confused about how humans lived. I liked the side plot with the kids. I especially liked that one side character parent being extremely unkind didn’t turn them one dimensional, even though they weren’t one page often. It’s nice to have people who act like people as side characters and antagonists.

Spice: 3/5

Triggers: child abandonment, grief

[Nicole Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, once again, this is a lovely wish-fulfillment fantasy for tired women who would appreciate some help around the house. And some sex. I was in the midst of my own household plumbing disaster while reading this, and I would have been so happy to have a demon living next door who could magically fix all the ancient pipes and appliances without costing thousands of dollars, my god, home ownership is a scam. But I digress. This novella is silly in a good way, and a great way to spend the afternoon after cleaning up a flood from your water heater.

[QuietlyKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Chace Verity’s voice and perspective! Their stories are always so perfectly and beautifully queer and I am always so here for it!

4.25 stars rounded up!

[Bebe Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Done

This story surprised me with how real and relatable the characters were. Everything about this book hit exactly right and it was delightful.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the author for review purposes. I am also friendly with the author on social media. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.

This book is an utter delight, much like Chace’s previous demon book. Mollie is recently divorced and taking care of her soon-to-be-seven son who hasn’t taken the leaving of his father well. When the house next door is bought by someone with a son Jackson’s age suddenly he has a new best friend and his emotional well-being improves. The father of Ty, Nuit,is a judgment demon and is often surrounded by shadows, but whenever he spends time around Mollie he makes sure to give her his full attention. His beauty, his attention, and the way he supports his son all have Mollie quickly smitten. I really enjoyed how full of domestic fluff this story is and how sweet everything is between Mollie and Nuit, as well as Jackson and Ty’s friendship. I knew I would adore this book since Chace announced it, and it absolutely did not disappoint!!

[Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

*M/F, white bisexual FMC, demon MMC*

Set in Alberta, Canada

Mollie, a 41 year old single mom, has a weird new neighbour. He's 8 feet tall, with a cape of wiggling shadows, horns with sparkly nailpolish on them, and a small demon child in tow. It's a sweet slow burn novella with two single parents and lots of domestic fluff, and a sex scene involving sentient shadows.

I loved Mollie's thoughts about what makes a family a family. She's a former foster child and has big feelings about it.

Where was Ty’s mom? She knew it was a loaded question, one that made it sound like a family could only be whole with two parents and some children. Which simply wasn’t true. Even before she had Jackson, she considered herself and her husband to be a family.

There's a couple of loose ends that get dropped (like why are Mollie and Jackson the only people able to see their demonic forms?) and even though it progresses pretty slowly and organically, they're in love rather startlingly quick. But it was cute and funny and a happy queer normative read.

[RachelReadsandSings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Chace Verity’s sweet and wholesome yet sexy demon romances! The dynamic between Nuit and Mollie was delightful from the beginning, especially because they’re both single parents and their sons are best friends. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

PS This novella gets special bonus points bc Nuit controls shadows and they make an appearance during the steamy scenes 😉

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was every single thing I wanted. I can't express how joyful this book is and the demon books Chace Verity has written. I felt like I was reading a warm hug of a book by the time it was over. I loved seeing our FMC help our MMC through adjusting to the human world. Finding connection again and life after divorce.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Flannery Simchuk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really bad…but somewhat wholesome! I’m still slightly confused honestly

[m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

This was such a cute story 🥰 I really enjoyed it.

[Lauren loves llamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unaware that cozy paranormal demon romances were a thing I needed until I read and absolutely fell in love with Deal with the Demon last year during the pandemic. It was a warm hug right when I needed it, so I was extremely excited to find out the author had written another book in the same vein. If you’re looking for some domestically demonic fluff, this will be completely up your alley.

“Giving up had never been Mollie’s style, even though the world constantly gave up on her. If she could get a bounce house in December, she could probably do anything.”

Newly divorced, Mollie’s doing her best to take care of her son Jackson, even if that means figuring out how to get a bouncy house for his birthday party in the middle of December. He’s the best thing in her life, but being a single parent is hard. Managing his problems at school and her never-ending pile of work is exhausting, not to mention the fact that she’s lonely. She doesn’t think much about a new family moving in to the rundown (and frankly creepy) house next door until Jackson befriends the new kid. Mollie’s initially concerned to see Jackson’s new friend Ty playing outside without a coat or scarf, and then even more so when she sees he’s wearing some sort of horns and red contacts. But when she goes to confront his parent, she gets an unexpected surprise: his father, Nuit, is a demon, and so is Ty.

Mollie, of course, initially refuses to believe the (very handsome) evidence in front of her eyes. For whatever reason, she and her son can see through their human-seeming glamours. But after enough proof piles up, she accepts it and then mostly just settles in to helping him acclimate to human life (while secretly lusting after him). The romance is very slow-burn, full of lots of “was he flirting with me???” while also slowly opening up to each other. Yes, he’s a four-armed judgement demon who’s constantly surrounded by shadows, but he’s also a caring parent to Ty and he’s not shy about helping out Mollie, as well.

“You can just call me, but if you insist, I will have my contact assess why my phone doesn’t respond to my touch. Elements of electricity and aluminum alloys are not foes I have often battled in the various hellscapes I have traversed, nor have I had a need to seek them as my allies. Judgment demons do not require fancy devices to render observations.”

This novella is very low angst and pure domestic fluff: pizza parties, snow shoveling, and kid playdates. Mollie’s biggest concerns are how Jackson is adjusting to life without his dad in it and how it brings up feelings from her childhood in foster care. It’s also pretty humorous, from Nuit’s exceedingly formal speech to his well-meaning attempts at adjusting to human life, whether that’s crashing a meeting with the school principal or attempting to hang laundry in zero degree weather. The kid interactions are also quite sweet, from the friendship that immediately blossoms between Jackson and Ty to the obvious love both parents feel for their kids.

Overall, this is charming and oh-so-cozy, and while it’s not specifically holiday-themed, it’s snowy enough to be a good winter read. It is set in Canada, after all! Highly recommended if you’re looking for some cozy, domestic demon romance!

I received an advance review copy of this book from BookSprout. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Content notes: Parental abandonment, divorce, foster care trauma, bullying children (addressed on page)

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the creativity and sweetness at the heart of this story: our protagonist Mollie is a single mother doing her best to keep her and her son afloat when she gets new neighbors...who turn out to be demons. That Mollie' son Jackson gets a demon child best friend while Mollie gets a distinctly odd but strangely charming demon acquaintance who turns into more feels like perfect symmetry, and while there are things I'd like to know (why can Mollie and Jackson see their neighbors' true forms when no one else can, for example) for the most part it's a fun, even heartwarming read with a satisfying happily ever after.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was immediately intriguing and interesting and held my attention throughout the whole book. I couldn't put it down! I was completely charmed by and enamored with and the characters. It was a fascinating story about a single mom and her relationship with the new single dad next door... who happens to be a demon. I found Nuit completely adorable at times from his formal speech and learning to adapt to a human way of life. The whole book is from Molly's point of view, and her learning about Nuit and his son Ty, and her and her son Jackson befriending them and becoming close enough like their own family was so sweet to read. I absolutely loved this story and am looking forward to going back to read book one in this series. 5 stars.

[Ela (Mouse333) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book, but not much actually happened.

The main characters were fine, but there wasn’t much relationship development. Most of them getting to know each other happens in the background so when Nuit says that he loves Mollie, it seemed a bit abrupt.

Mollie and Nuit’s sons were ok, but they were rarely shown. I wanted to see more scenes where they interact with each other and their parents.

This book was fine, but a lot of the character and relationship development happens in the background.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reader who just looked at the cover and was unfamiliar with Chace Verity's Deal with a Demon may get the idea that this is a dark romance. However, the author's note that preceded the story set the right expectation. This is a cozy family story with a little magic and a little spice. I enjoyed reading a low-angst romance with a paranormal element.

[Littlebookterror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verity described this perfectly already: light on plot and heavy on vibes.

What are these vibes?
- Single, queer parent just trying to do what's best for her son
- The neighbor demon + child who is still a little clueless about many human things
- delightful friendship between their kids
- lots of romantic gestures; his love language is acts of service

[Shyla Colt]

This was a unique spin on demons. She did a good job on of creating a new friendlier and dare I say cuddlier version of them. Learning where Nuit came from, why he was on Earth, and his connection with his son Ty was interesting. I didn't feel th chemistry and sweetness as much as I did with the first book in the series. But I enjoyed two single parents learning , and growing together.

[Mary L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet
Honestly it could have been a nice full novel but since it had so little pages it tries a little too hard to have too much across the book. It focused much on her parenting and her own life but so little about his life and they don't interact that much but when they do it is cute and hot.

[Annalisa Ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a single parent romance, especially a double single parent romance! Adding in our MC's lack of extended family because of being a foster child and the demons across the way not knowing much about the human world and we have a bunch of great ingredients that the author brought together beautifully.

[My Lady Janey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

Book 1 was definitely much better. I loved the pacing and story of book 1 more. Nuit was cool but I found the bed scene with the shadows very very weird. I skim-read parts of this novella.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the sweet demons that Chace is giving us with these stories. Mollie was very kind to Ty and Nuit. I enjoyed watching Nuit learn about the human realm. There wasn't a whole lot of plot, but this book just pours happiness into you.

[scarr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Low-angst romance with a demon? yes please! This last week I read some heavy stories so getting in some stress-free (for me at least) reads is appreciated! I really liked the first book in this series and have already purchased the next one!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm liking these low-angst reads. This one really convinced me of the positive personality qualities of both the hero and heroine that made them fall for each other. The found family aspect was also nice and I liked reading about the heroine's motivations as a foster child.